There has been a lot of discussion recently regarding the safety or otherwise of “smart motorways”. Whilst I am not taking sides, I would like to make what I think is a valid point.

When motorways were introduced just over 60 years ago, we were all told about the safety of them because oncoming traffic was segregated and, in the event of a breakdown, there was somewhere to stop.

The hard shoulder was also available for emergency vehicles to get to the scene of an accident.

We have all become used to the fact that, when on a motorway, you are unlikely to find a broken down vehicle blocking your path. This has become part of motorists’ mind set over the years.

A smart motorway is no different to a dual carriageway; it has more lanes, granted, but neither has a hard shoulder. A smart motorway should be safer because learners, farm tractors, cyclists and mopeds are not allowed on it - and yet many people are calling for them to be banned.

Why not ban dual carriageways also?

The main problem is that drivers on a motorway are so used to having somewhere to pull on to if there is a problem that we, subconsciously, believe it’s the same with a smart motorway, sometimes with disastrous results.

When on a smart motorway, think as if you are driving on a dual carriageway - and definitely expect the unexpected.

REGINALD MOLEHUSBAND